


Slow and Steady

by JohnConstantine



Category: In the Lethe - Fandom, Supernatural
Genre: Gen, In the Lethe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-04-19
Packaged: 2018-01-19 23:16:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1487716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnConstantine/pseuds/JohnConstantine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel deals with leaving behind everything he’s known to protect his mate and child, but that doesn’t stop him from getting sentimental when his daughter brings up old friends. Post Series 2. Contains Spoilers to In the Lethe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow and Steady

It wasn’t hard to think of this place as home.

Since his decision to leave the Winchesters and heaven and devote all his time his daughter, Castiel honestly had found himself tied down to the simple human duties of protecting and serving as a caretaker, lover, and dabbling in hobbies to occupy time instead of attracting attention by hunting. He didn’t mind, of course. He still hurt, still missed the heat of battle and fighting side by side with his human brothers, but since the summer began Castiel found himself enjoying his time away.

 

It gave him time to make up for the three years he’d lost with them, when a decision he’d always regret forced him to leave them behind, a choice that still tore at him, even after reconciling with his mate and daughter he still felt that nagging guilt that had plagued him for three long, hard years.

But now he had them, and to him, it was all that mattered.The tiny cabin he called home was enough for him, nothing too big or too small, something he can easily protect and care for without worrying.  
That idea of peace brought him calm, and made all the times he could spend home worth it.

With Colorado still free of infected, the angel had made his efforts to relax, Saturdays being his easiest days since Nyx would be distracted with television and Meg would make an effort to stay home with him instead of hunting what demons remained still on Earth. Though he was against her hunting alone he let her do it anyway, it kept meg from going stir crazy and allowed Castiel time alone with his daughter.

They’d fallen into a pretty simple routine, weekdays were spent being sure none of the infected had wandered into the tiny town, and weekends were at home, being sure that Nyx had both her parents at some point to keep her happy. It was simple enough that both Meg and Castiel had gotten used to it fairly quickly and by the time the week ended they had enough free time to lay around and do almost nothing.

When Sunday finally rolled around, and with meg gone for her hourly “air run”, Castiel had gotten that faint niggling in the back of his mind that let him it was time to get Nyx’s package from Winchesters, a monthly occurrence and excuse for Castiel to leave the house and, as Meg called it, stretch his wings and get rid of his shitty attitude.

The Winchesters had just sent it to the post office in town, a prayer from Sam letting him know should have arrived. At first, the package was a late birthday present for the little girl, then became a monthly thing, the Winchesters sending her souvenirs and candies and whatever else they could fit in a flat rate box, even managing to slip alcohol for Meg (even though the note said it was for the two of them, Castiel knew better) and a couple letters from Kevin written in Benny’s scrawl.

Flipping open the cardboard and feeling Nyx tugging at the leg of his sweatpants, excited little voice asking him questions and jumpinjg in de;oght when he finally handed her the box, being sure whatever Sam and Dean had put in there for him and meg was already out of her sight.

Watching her happily pull out little stuffed animals (like she needed more, he’d already had to put a few away in storage containers in fear that the entire safe-house would soon be overflowing), Castiel smiled, amazed that even for what they were and what they’d been through, that she could still be so human, even in tiny instances like this. 

Sitting on the couch to watch her, knowing full well that she’d be full of energy again soon. 

But it was a second of time that seemed to change, the happy little girl had started to frown at the box as if they had sent her nothing but all the things she hated in the world (which Castiel had to admit, was very few).

He looked over at her as she made her was to the couch and sat down beside him, frowning at the box of candies in her hands. “What’s wrong?”

"They never come anymore."

"Doesn’t mean they don’t want to," Castiel said, watching his daughter as she looked sadly at the care package. It was a nice gesture, and he knew the Winchesters had to have taken precious time out of their busy days to put this together for her. But she was attached to them, and it had to be lonely without the hunters around. Even Castiel had felt that loneliness, something that itched at him. After spending eight years on Earth he’d grown sentimental. "They do miss you too."

"I know."

"For now, it’s just safer we keep our distances," he tried to explain, trying to find some way of wording it without confusing her. "In order to keep you safe."

"Sam and Dean could keep me safe."

"Of course they would."

"They why don’t they come?"

"I don’t think I can answer that."

She huffed, abandoning the box all together and almost throwing herself down on his leg. “miss them.”

"I know. I miss them too."

"Mommy does too."

"Does she?"

"Wont tell anyone. But I know. She’ll get mad if you know."

Castiel rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. “If I know anything about your mother it’s that she gets irrationally angry at the smallest things,”  he blinked, realizing who he just told that to. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

She smiled at him, something that looked all most too much like her mother. “A secret?”

"Yes."

"I like secrets."

The second the door swung open Castiel jumped and felt immediately embarrassed when Nyx started laughing at him, nerves still raw even after all this time from leaving Lethe but he instantly calmed when he heard meg complaining about the heat, the sound of his mate’s voice something that grounded him

"Literally no one is selling in town," she grumbled, tossing her car keys on the table and running her hand over Castiel’s head before sitting down between them, Nyx taking her posture as an open invitation to climb into her lap.

"Meg it’s…," he leaned back, squinting at the clock on the tiny kitchen wall. "Only eleven. On Sunday. They don’t sell alcohol until noon."

"Humans and their shitty conditions," she muttered, leaning back as Nyx chattered on and played with her hair. She looked at the half empty box beside her. "They send another one?"

"It makes her happy at least," he shrugged. "I think it becomes their way of coping."

"You think they miss you that much, huh?"

"I suppose. I know that they were giving me a chance to me up for what I’d lost. But…"

He felt her hand just pat his face. “Yeah, I know Clarence.”

Strangely, having her back seemed to make that loneliness vanish. Just her touch was enough to pull him from his slum. ”Thank you.”

"Yeah, well, I’m not your therapist so stop being all tall dark and broody, huh?”

He snorted at that, bending down a bit to kiss her while ignoring Nyx’s protests that they were squishing her between them. He might have not had the Winchester with him, but he was content with what family he had. Honestly, he was happy. It was enough for him

 


End file.
